Chrysanthemum plant named `Hermes`

ABSTRACT

A chrysanthemum plant named Hermes characterized by its small sized blooms with purple ray florets and prolific branching; natural season flower date 4-7 September; blooming for a period of 7 weeks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new plant of the present invention comprises a new and distant cultivar of chrysanthemum plant that is a cross of unknown Dendrathema grandiflora parents. The new and distinct cultivar was a seedling resulting from the open pollination amount groups of chrysanthemum cultivars maintained under the control of the inventor for breeding purposes. The new and distinct cultivar was discovered and selected as one flowering plant by Rob Noodelijk on a cultivated field in Rijsenhout, Holland in September, 1996. The plant has been asexually reproduced by cuttings in greenhouses at Rijsenhout, Holland. The new cultivar has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive propagations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present plant is a new and distinct variety of chrysanthenum of a small sized bloom and purple color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention of a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum is shown in the accompanying drawings, the color being as nearly true as possible with color photographs of this type.

FIG. 1 shows a plant of the cultivar in full bloom.

FIG. 2 shows the various stages of bloom of the new cultivar.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This new variety of chrysanthemum is of the botanical classification Dendranthema grandiflora. The observations and measurements were gathered from plants grown outdoors in Rijsenhout, Holland under natural day length and temperature and planted week 22 in 1997 and 1998. The natural blooming date of this crop was September 4-7 (week 36) with a photoperiodic response time of 49-51 days. The average height of the plants was 32-36 cms. This new variety produces small sized blooms with purple ray florets and yellow disc florets (only visible during bud and early stages of opening of the bloom).

The following is a description of the plant and characteristics that distinguish Hermes as a new and distinct variety.

The color designations (color designations are from The R.H.S. Colour Chart) are taken from the plant itself. Accordingly, any discrepancies between the color designations and the colors depicted in the photographs are due to photographic tolerances.

    ______________________________________                                         Botanical Classification                                                       CULTIVAR          HERMES                                                       ______________________________________                                         Bud                                                                            Size              SMALL CROSS                                                                    SECTION ± 1.0 CM                                                            HEIGHT ± 0.7 CM                                           Outside Color     RED-PURPLE 61 A                                              Bloom                                                                          Size              SMALL                                                        Fully Expanded    4-41/2 CM                                                    Borne (number of) UPPER AND LOWER                                              blooms per branch)                                                                               PORTION PLURAL                                                                 BLOOMS PER                                                                     BRANCH                                                                         (APPROX. 6-8                                                                   BLOOMS)                                                      Length of lateral FROM TOP TILL                                                branch            BOTTOM                                                                         APPROX. 15 CM                                                Lateral branch,   MEDIUM                                                       Attachment                                                                     Branching         Prolific with 6-8                                                              breaks after                                                                   pinching                                                     Form              DECORATIVE                                                   Performance (on the                                                                              7 WEEKS                                                      plant)                                                                         Color                                                                          Center of Flower  RED-PURPLE 61 A at                                                             mature stage                                                                   When visible                                                                   during bud and                                                                 early stage of                                                                 opening of the                                                                 bloom Yellow 9 A                                             Color of the upper                                                                               RED-PURPLE 61 B                                              surface of the                                                                 majority of the ray-                                                           florets                                                                        Color of the flower                                                                              PURPLE 75 C                                                  surface of the                                                                 majority of the ray-                                                           florets                                                                        Tonality from     A VIGOROUS                                                   Distance          GARDENMUM WITH                                                                 PURPLE DECORATIVE                                                              BLOOMS AND A SMALL                                                             YELLOW CENTER                                                                  DURING BUD AND                                                                 EARLY STAGES OF                                                                OPENING OF THE                                                                 BLOOM                                                        Discoloration     TO PURPLE 75B                                                Ray florets                                                                    Texture           UPPERSIDE SMOOTH                                                               UNDERSIDE SMOOTH                                             Number            ±210-230                                                  Cross-section     CONCAVE                                                      Longitudinal axis of                                                                             REFLEXING                                                    the majority                                                                   Shape of tip      POINTED                                                      Fragrance         TYPICAL                                                                        CHRYSANTHEMUM                                                Disc Diameter     Approx. 0.5 cm                                               (natural season crop                                                           when visible)                                                                  Reproductive Organs                                                            Stamen            NONE                                                         Pollen            NONE                                                         Styles (present in                                                                               GREEN, THIN                                                  both ray and disc                                                              florets)                                                                       Style Length      ±4 MM                                                     Stigmas           YELLOW - GREEN                                               Stigma Width      ±1 MM                                                     Ovaries           ENCLOSED IN CALYX                                            Plant                                                                          Form              A GARDENMUM (POT                                                               MUM) MEANT FOR                                                                 OUTDOOR USE                                                  Growth            VIGOROUS                                                     Height (from soil ±32-36 CM                                                 level)                                                                         Stem Color        GREEN 137 A                                                  Stem Strength     STRONG                                                       Stem Brittleness  PRESENT                                                      Stem Anthocyanin  PRESENT                                                      Coloration                                                                     Natural blooming  4-7 September                                                date                                                                           Foliage                                                                        Color             UPPERSIDE GREEN                                                                137 A                                                                          UNDERSIDE GREEN                                                                138 B                                                        Size              SMALL: LENGTH ± 5 CM                                                        WIDTH ±4 CM                                               Quantity (number per                                                                             12-15                                                        lateral branch)                                                                Shape             EGG-SHAPED                                                   Texture           FLESHY                                                       Ribs and Veins    RIBS AND VEINS NOT                                                             SO WELL DEVELOPED                                            Edge              LOBED                                                        Shape of Base of  ACUTE                                                        Sinus Between                                                                  Lateral Lobes                                                                  Margin of Sinus   DIVERGING                                                    Between Lateral                                                                Lobes                                                                          Shape of Base     ACUTE                                                        Apex              CUSPIDATE                                                    ______________________________________                                     

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum plant as described and illustrated. 